PATHMARK

The Client: Pathmark, a Fortune 500 grocery chain, has 140 retail locations in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Challenge: Pathmark was in a low growth position, as it was losing business to competitors with strong, relevant value propositions, such as Walmart on the low end and Whole Foods on the high end. Armed with a new brand concept and identity, Pathmark set out to find new ways to provide consumers with a differentiated brand experience.

Approach: Next Level SMG focused on redefining the brand experience through employee-customer interactions by identifying potential store concepts that best embodied the brand positioning. A series of workshops inspired innovative new service-oriented solutions.

Impact: The strategy work launched a new advertising campaign as well as many new in-store concepts, from layout to convenient drive-through windows and improved signage. Soon after these new brand concepts were implemented, Pathmark attracted the attention of a major investor in 2005 and was purchased by a competitor for a significant premium.